Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food  and sharing cooking tips – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

I love Middle Eastern foods, so when I found out I was going to try authentic Syrian cuisine, I couldn’t have been more excited.

This week, I visited the Syrian Pop Up, which was held at Summerbridge Methodist Church, and hopes to become a regular event from next January.

The spread was the creation of Mohamad and Huda Al Habboul, who moved from Syria to Yorkshire in 2022.

It was a real family affair. The the food was laid out as a buffet – and there was lots of it! I could see the importance food plays in their culture just from first glance.

Mohamad and Huda Al Habboul.

The cold dishes included hummus, baba ghanoush, dolmas, Fattoush, and tabbouleh.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a healthy, Levantine salad which consists of finely chopped parsley, mint, onion, soaked bulgur wheat seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sweet pepper.

Variations include adding tomatoes, cucumbers, and spring onions, or swapping bulgur wheat for couscous. The dish can be made gluten-free by substituting quinoa for bulgur wheat.

Fattoush salad

The Fattoush salad with crispy pastry was fresh, vibrant and flavourful.

The salad is made from toasted or fried pieces of khubz – an Arabic flat bread – combined with mixed greens, radish and tomatoes.

Kibbeh

Kibbeh is considered the national dish of Lebanon and Syria.

I expected to see it on the night and there was not one, but three versions of it: vegetarian, lamb and an un-fried one, which resembles a dense pate.

To make this croquette-like dish, you need bulgur wheat, your choice of ground meat, pine nuts, onion, garlic, and spices.

The wheat is softened and kneaded until pliable enough to hold the filling.

It is a labour of love but when fried to perfection, it will wow your guests!

Some of the flatbreads that were also served.

Rice dishes

The hot dishes included bulgur with lentils and caramelised onions, as well as several rice-based meals.

Dolmas is seasoned rice wrapped in vine leaves before being steam cooked in a rich stock.

Ouzi is rice cooked with ground lamb or beef, peas, carrots, cinnamon, coriander, 7 spice blend, Aleppo pepper, turmeric, and toasted nuts before being wrapped in filo pastry and baked.

The final rice dish reminded me of the Afghan pulao, but the Syrian version didn’t include raisins, so had a savoury rather than sweet note to it.

Hot dishes

There were also three casserole-like dishes amongst the spread.

One included peas, potatoes, carrots, courgette, aubergine, tomatoes and onions – it was a truly heart-warming and delicious creation.

The second, horaa osbao, included beans, lentils and Swiss chard dumplings seasoned with coriander. It was the perfect winter dish.

The final one was lamb mince cooked with tomatoes and onions and layered with aubergine. It reminded me of a Greek moussaka and, again, was absolutely delightful.

Baba ghanoush, salads and side dishes.

Baba ghanoush

If you love aubergine, you’ll love the Syrian baba ghanoush!

It is made from fire-roasted aubergine, Tahini, olive oil and lemon juice. Their version had a touch of sweetness, which I suspect came from adding pomegranate molasses.

Dessert

Finally, it was time for dessert.

We had baklava, which is layered filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey – it’s the perfect after-dinner treat.

There was also mahalabia – a traditional Middle Eastern dessert – which consists of set milk topped with cashews and pistachio, topped off with glazed cherries.

I left with a huge appreciation for Syrian cuisine, which contains a balance of vegetables, meats and grains, topped off with indulgent sweets.

Read more:

• Yemi’s Food Stories: Behind the scenes at Harrogate’s Fodder
• Yemi’s Food Stories: Let’s talk oil

A gastro pub near Ripon has been granted an extension to its licensing hours until midnight.

The Sawley Arms, which has eight bedrooms and is popular with diners, applied for an extension until 1am, seven days a week.

But Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing committee decided on Friday that alcohol could only be served until midnight.

Steve Manton, owner of the Sawley Arms, told the committee he had spent more than £1 million refurbishing the pub since he bought it 11 years ago as a retirement project.

Mr Manton, who previously ran several businesses in the Harrogate area, said the pub’s main activity was food.

“It’s a destination pub. The traditional boozer has disappeared.”

Customers, he said, “like to linger and that’s why we have put in the extension until 1am”.

Mr Manton addresses the meeting.

He added:

“That doesn’t mean we will stay open until 1am every night. Last night we closed at 9.30pm.”

Mr Manton, who lives on the Isle of Man, described the venue as “a summer pub”, adding there was “very, very little activity in winter and we close our gardens”.

He said besides diners, the pub attracted weekend walkers, visitors to Fountains Abbey and guests from nearby Grantley Hall, the opening of which he described as “a lifeline”.

Before the meeting, David Taylor, clerk to Grantley and Sawley Parish Council, had submitted an objection to the proposal raising “grave concerns”.  He said:

“The residents of the village are very likely to be disturbed by vehicles leaving the site at times that would extend beyond 1am.

“Although 1am is the requested extended time, there would be ‘drinking up time’ and staff leaving the premises, therefore it would be nearer to 2am when the last cars leave the site.”

Wan Malachi, a licensing enforcement officer at the council told the committee it had received no complaints about the venue.

Ed Darling, the Conservative councillor who chairs the licensing committee, told Mr Manton it had granted the extension on condition that it applied until midnight, seven days a week, rather than the 1am requested. Cllr Darling added:

“There is a right of appeal against this decision to Harrogate Magistrates Court within 21 days of receipt of the decision notice.”

She was one of Britain’s first female chefs to win a Michelin star. Now, Frances Atkins could be in the running for the prestigious accolade again.

Paradise Cafe at Daleside Nurseries, in Killinghall, has been chosen as one of six of the inspectors’ favourite new additions to appear in the Michelin Guide this month.

This means the lakeside restaurant, which only opened its doors in April, could now be up for a Michelin star or Bib Gourmand.

Ms Atkins said:

“As a new business, we are delighted.

“It doesn’t make any difference in terms of what we offer. We will continue to to do what we do, which is to use fresh foods we produce ourselves, grown here at Daleside.”

A scallops dish.

Ms Atkins held a coveted star for 16 of the 23 years she was chef-patron of The Yorke Arms at Ramsgill in Nidderdale. Although she sold the business in 2017, she continued to work for its new owner until 2020, when it closed as a restaurant as a result of the pandemic.

With two long-term Yorke Arms colleagues, John Tullett, general manager and front of house, and head chef Roger Olive, she bought a silver Airstream caravan and parked it at Daleside.

The Paradise Cafe Airstream caravan.

From here, the trio served  began serving food on disposable bamboo plates for 18 months, before moving into the long-planned 80-seat cafe.

The Michelin Guide entry says:

“It may be a garden centre café, but this is not just any old garden centre café: it’s located in a separate building for a start – a spacious and smart modern space with a jewel of a terrace overlooking a lake.

“And then there’s the food: a frequently changing, seasonal menu bursting with delightful dishes which are fresh, unfussy and full of flavour.

“Come for coffee and cake, breakfast, brunch or lunch; there’s plenty for vegetarians and vegans – and a chef’s table if you’d like to watch and chat to the chefs as they work. Do book ahead, as the aptly named café is likely to be busy.”

Paradise Cafe is open Tuesday until Sunday, from 10am until 4pm.

Dinner is available on Friday evenings from 7pm.

Read more:

• Sneak Peak: Paradise arrives in Killinghall
• Michelin-starred chef’s new cafe to open at Killinghall nursery this month

The owner of Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, has said she is “honoured and delighted” the venue has secured a place in the Michelin Guide.

The 16th century stately home has been chosen as one of six of the inspectors’ favourite new additions to appear in the prestigious food bible this month.

Co-owner Clare Oglesby praised the venue’s “extremely talented” executive chef Josh Barnes, who was appointed last September.

Ms Oglesby, who runs the hall with her husband Mark, said:

“Josh is an extremely talented chef, having retained a Michelin star at La Chapelle in London.

“It’s fantastic to get into the Michelin Guide after all the hard work Josh Barnes and his team have put in. It’s also a wonderful achievement to have been chosen as one of the inspectors’ choices this month.”

Mr Barnes was previously head chef at the Galvin brothers’ La Chapelle restaurant in London, where he retained its Michelin star and AA 3 rosette status. He was also awarded for having London’s best vegetarian and vegan tasting menus.

Read more:

• Goldsborough Hall appoints new head chef
• National Open Gardens: Gardens taking part across the Harrogate district this summer

The chef grew up in the open countryside of Lincolnshire and developed a passion for cooking at an early age.

He enjoys foraging for mushrooms, wild herbs and flowers and other ingredients to create inspiring natural dishes.

Ms Oglesby said:

“His modern, French-based dishes are well-balanced and full of bold flavours – and his desserts are a highlight.”

One of Mr Barnes’ dishes at Goldsborough Hall.

Revealing some of their favourite new additions to this year’s Great Britain and Ireland Guide, the inspectors said of Goldsborough Hall:

“This grand, 16th century country house is set in a gloriously remote and peaceful setting and boasts delightful gardens and grounds.

“With a backdrop this stunning, the cooking risks paling in comparison, but it more than manages to live up to expectations.

“The set menu features ingredients from their own organic kitchen garden, mixing classic and modern techniques to showcase the skills and experience of the team.

“The modern, French-based dishes are eye-catching, well-balanced and full of bold flavours; desserts are a highlight.”

Ms Oglesby said she hoped the prestigious accolade would help put Goldsborough Hall on the map as a leading dining destination.

The dining room at Goldsborough Hall is open, including for non-residents, from Wednesday to Sunday, with a six-course tasting menu.

If there’s one thing that Harrogate does incredibly well, it’s food and drink.

The district has some of the best producers in the country and there is no denying we are completely spoilt for choice when it comes to delicious Yorkshire fare.

So it comes as no surprise that excitement is ramping up for the launch of Harrogate’s huge new £6m food hall in Pannal, which overlooks the Crimple Valley.

The 48,000 sq ft building, which is simply called ‘Crimple‘, will include a butchery counter, an in-house bakery and patisserie, a floristry and a 160-seat restaurant.

Sustainability

And with a huge emphasis on sustainability, there are set to be some very quirky additions to the venue, including it’s own beehive and a reconditioned milk float, complete with milk on tap and refillable glass bottles.

Crimple has been owned by Graham Watson since 2013. With a personal investment of £4m for the construction, plus £2m for the fit-out, the business-owner has created the town’s latest foodie destination in a bid to showcase all the amazing produce the district has to offer.

The man tasked with getting the food hall up and running is general manager Chris Lidgitt, who gave me a sneak preview of the site.

He said:

“We want to be a destination site for North Yorkshire.

“We are proud of what we have done behind the scenes and we all know what it’s going to look like when it opens. We can’t wait to show off our hard work.

“Harrogate needs something like this.”

After two years of planning and more than a year of construction, the food hall is set to open its doors in the second week of November and will see more than 80 new jobs created.

Events space

If you have visited Crimple Valley before, you will be familiar with the antiques centre at the site. This has been completely knocked down and the food hall and restaurant has been built in its place. The garden centre will remain and the existing restaurant and terrace will become an events space.

An exterior computer-generated image of the new food hall.

The food hall’s timber-framed building, with its staggered roof, is eco-friendly and sustainable.

The striking design of the building makes reference to agricultural buildings through a series of interconnected barn-like forms.

A heat recovery system also provides all the hot water for the site and energy-saving refrigeration has been fitted.

Impressive

It certainly looks very swish when you drive past on Leeds Road and its even more impressive when you go inside.

When you first walk in, it’s impossible not to notice the sheer scale of the food hall.

Inside the new Crimple food hall.

The distinctive “saw tooth” roof makes it feel light and airy. The space will allow shoppers to move freely around a specially-designed layout, aimed at making it a relaxed and enjoyable foodie shopping experience.

More importantly the design of the roof allows for natural ventilation and hosts solar panels to feedback power to the grid. In addition, motorised windows keep the temperature constant without wasting electric on heating and cooling.

Butchery counter

One of the big draws will be a 12-metre-long butchery counter, which will have a selection of meats, including the more unusual T-bone and Tomahawk steaks and ox cheeks, as well as the usual cuts. It will also boast a glass-fronted dry-ageing meat fridge.

Chris, who has been in the food and drink industry for years and was a director at The Local Pantry, in nearby Pool, said:

“We will use the in-house butchery department and the produce from the store to supply the restaurant.

“A deli counter will offer cheese, which we are going to mature ourselves in a cheese maturation fridge – from three, six, 12 and 18-months-old.

“There will also be a quirky juice and coffee bar, offering fresh juices and smoothies, which will have a big ice well.

“There will be floristry and gifts, fresh fruit and veg and a bakery, where we will eventually make our own bread. Two bakers will bake in-house including cakes, tarts and patisserie items.

“There will also be a beehive in a sealed unit, which shoppers will be able to see. This will supply honey to sell in the store.”

Yorkshire producers

Food and drink from lots of local producers and independent producers from across Yorkshire will be on offer at Crimple. They will include Bracken Hill Fine Foods, Guppy’s Chocolates, Sawley Kitchen, The Yorkshire Pasta Company and The Original Baker. There will be meat from Robertshaw’s and bread from Cawa Bakery and Lancaster’s. Coffee will be supplied by Dark Woods Coffee.

There will also be food to go, including in-store produced ready meals, pizzas, and fresh fish, as well as a horticulture shop and a grain store.

Chris said:

“There’s a real emphasis on Yorkshire produce but also an emphasis on trying to be different.”

An interior computer-generated image of the new food hall.

• The food hall and garden centre will open on Monday to Saturday from 8am to 7pm, with the restaurant and bar set to offer late night dining in 2022. The restaurant will open from 8am to 5pm. Sunday opening hours will be from 10am to 4pm.